1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet conveying apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image forming apparatus represented by a copying machine or a printer, when sheet clogging (jam) occurs, a guide member rotates about a pivot to easily take out a jammed sheet and thus the jammed sheet is easily taken out (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-031216). A force is constantly applied to the guide member to be positioned at a closed position for guiding a sheet by a spring. Here, when the guide member is largely opened at the time of the jam recovery of the sheet, the spring which applies a force to the guide member at the closed position becomes weak by metal fatigue. Therefore, it is difficult to keep the guide member at a position of guiding the sheet, and thus a defect of conveyance of the sheet may occur.
In addition, when a service representative maintains the image forming apparatus, it is necessary to clean toner, paper dust, and wax attached to the guide member, a conveying roller, and a sheet detecting sensor. For this reason, it is desirable that the guide member can be largely opened or can be simply detached.
Accordingly, it is desirable that the amount of rotation of the guide member which conveys a sheet is restricted at the time of jam recovery, and the guide member can rotate by an amount of rotation possible in maintenance or the guide member can be detachable at the time of maintenance.
It is desirable to provide a sheet conveying apparatus in which an amount of rotation of a guide member that conveys a sheet is variable, and it is possible to perform maintenance such as jam recovery of the sheet and cleaning of the guide member without decreasing performance of conveying the sheet.